The True Meaning of Modernization

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Recently, I was asked to participate in an informational hearing held by the State of California’s Senate Subcommittee on Modernizing Government.

“Modernization” is a loaded word in the public sector. Mainly, because what many in government circles consider a leap in technology is just a baby step by private sector standards and, more importantly, by today’s citizens’ expectations.

As noted in a recent GovTech article, government services and operations of all forms will continue to join in the innovation wave that the private sector began.

It’s clear that for our fast-growing, mobile-first population, public sector interactions must start meeting private sector expectations more proactively. That means bringing a mobile government experience to the people instead of sending the people to a bricks and mortar address or down an antiquated, form-riddled online path.

As consumers, we all have expectations of how we do business with brands. Government is indeed a brand—and a large, influential one at that. But it’s also a brand with an obligation—to meet citizens where they are and to serve them as effectively as possible.